Chapter 117

Chapter 117

In the instant when the Doomsday Cultist underwent its transformation, the innermost circle was occupied by players and a few Kamui tribespeople. When the cultist's body began to swell like a bomb, the players were the first to react.

Frenzy instinctively pulled Matcha Latte behind him, a natural impulse to protect their healer.

The next moment, the Doomsday Cultist's body burst open. Somehow, despite being human, it unleashed an explosive force akin to a bomb, sending the inner circle of players tumbling to the ground.

Vivy looked at the man who had propped himself up in front of her with disbelief. Blood dripped from Yaya's body, landing on her healthy, tanned skin.

"Why... why did you save me?"

"Would you believe me if I said I don't know?"

In the last moment, after seeing the cultist explode, Yaya had subconsciously thrown himself onto Vivy without a second thought. Later, he realized that while players could respawn, NPCs couldn't...

Frenzy and Yaya were the unluckiest ones, being the closest. Other players and Kamui tribespeople sustained varying degrees of injury, but none as severe as theirs.

Everyone present hurriedly helped them to the ground. Both being players, they could see their health bars rapidly dwindling, knowing that these injuries would be difficult to recover from.

Matcha Milk Tea was just about to heal Insane when she hesitated for a moment.

Player Channel:

Matcha Milk Tea: Do you want healing or should we tear the card? Think it through.

Druid: Yeah, this dungeon is probably our last chance to enter the Church of Celestial Wisdom.

Even Number: Aren't you going to try, Druid?

Druid: Of course not. I still have Lane's affection on this card. I'm saving it as an heirloom. I don't dare use it much in dungeons anymore, sob sob.

Black Cat: You're right. We need to weigh the pros and cons. If we tear the old card, we need to consider the risks and rewards.

In their previous campaigns, several characters had survived, and the investigators had gained valuable items like spells and artifacts. Players cherished their cards so much that they would even keep them as collectibles without reactivating them.

Insane: Hold on, I need more time to decide.

Insane was torn. On one hand, she believed her performance was commendable, and completing this final task would earn her a glorious entrance into the Church of Celestial Wisdom, where she could interact with the mighty Norman King.

Madman also cherished the God on Earth character card dearly; it was the first time in the game that a player had achieved the milestone of tearing an NPC's card as a memorial, and possibly the only one ever.

But...

At this moment, Madman recalled the tears glistening in Professor Rakin's eyes when they first met at the university.

After two seconds of contemplation, with his health bar almost depleted, the panicked Kamui around him nudged Matcha Milk Green, urging, "Aren't you a doctor? Why aren't you saving him?!"

Matcha Milk Green's hand trembled, and the First Aid card slipped from their grip.

"First Aid: Failed"

Matcha Milk Green: Uh...

Madman: ???

From the game's perspective, it appeared as if the Kamui youth's push caused Matcha Milk Green's hand to land directly on Madman's wound. The originally fading expression on Madman's face turned even paler in an instant.

With his health reaching zero, according to the rules of the tabletop game, he was now at the brink of death. If no action were taken within a minute, his card would be torn. However, unfortunately, this faulty game prevented a second dice roll shortly after a failed attempt.

It seemed she no longer had to make a choice.

"Sorry, qwq," Matcha Milk Green apologized profusely.

Mad Not Crazy opened her mouth, wanting to say 'it wasn't your fault.' The blame lay with her own hesitation. There was clearly nothing to be indecisive about; entering the cathedral was Mad Not Crazy's own wish.

But...

Mad Not Crazy suddenly recalled the potion professor roughly applying herbs to her in the Great Hall dungeon, speaking softly, "I won't let any student die before my eyes."

And before this gathering, the professor forcefully gave her a potion, as he couldn't come into the real world. If anything happened to Mad Not Crazy in a place he couldn't see, at least this potion could keep her alive. When he said this, the professor's hair was already streaked with gray, but his gaze held a familiar glint when he looked at her.

In reality, her grandparents who always sent her off with a pile of local specialties whenever she left home had the same look in their eyes.

Mad Not Crazy suddenly moved her fingers. Matcha Milk Green caught on to her intention and reached into Mad Not Crazy's pack to retrieve a black potion bottle. "You want this?"

Mad Not Crazy gazed at the potion for a long while and nodded just as the one-minute countdown was about to end.

Matcha Milk Green hurriedly poured the potion into Mad Not Crazy's mouth.

Hmm... Peppermint-flavored.

Not Crazy found it hard to suppress a giggle as she swallowed the potion. She recalled complaining to the professor about the potion's unbearable taste before.

True to her title as a Potions professor, she had improved it promptly.

...

Barbie: Bro, do you need first aid?

Nian Nian: No need... Just put on an act for a bit.

Upon hearing this, Barbie pretended to examine Nian Nian seriously for a few seconds. Then, she wore a grave expression and shook her head at Wei Wei.

Wei Wei's emotions crumbled. She hugged Nian Nian tightly, tears streaming down her face. Barbie and Shu Shu Haoguang couldn't help but feel pained just by watching.

Barbie: You're truly a straight guy made of steel. Respect, bro.

Shu Shu Haoguang: I feel the pain just watching from the side.

Nayi: "Shut up. What else could I do? I can't possibly ask her to wait for me her whole life, right?"

Nayi was equally at a loss for words. If he had met Weiwei in real life, he would have certainly taken the initiative to pursue her. But fatefully, it was within the game...

Although they often joked that the game was essentially a dating simulation, they were well aware of its high stakes; many players had lost their lives, including Nayi himself once. And with their determination to advance in the game and seek challenges, there was no telling how many more times they might die.

It would be too cruel to deepen someone's feelings only to disappear, intentionally causing heartache.

But Nayi couldn't simply avoid danger either; he had his streaming channel to manage and the game to play, inevitably drawing him into perilous situations.

With this in mind, Nayi found solace. He remained silent, waiting for the minute to pass before slowly closing his eyes.

In the last second, he sensed a gentle touch on his lips – not the sweetness one might expect from a virtual kiss, but a bittersweet moisture from tears.

"Nayi, you're so heartless!"

"How could you make a girl cry for you, oh my!"

"Sigh, the pink thread of affection has been severed."

"I fail to comprehend, Yeye. Isn't your relationship with the Kamui tribe quite amicable? Wouldn't this be a significant loss for you?"

"It's not too bad, really. The Kamui clan's network is sufficiently covered by Babah and Uncle Hao. The trio has always been inseparable, so for Yeyey, the loss isn't that significant. The only major thing she's missed out on is the chance to have a son-in-law join the family (tongue-in-cheek)."

The barrage of comments was flowing in, albeit with less mirth this time. The wails of the Kamui people around them filled the air. The Mischief Squad indeed had a strong bond with the Kamui community. When the Arkhamites had ostracized the Kamui before, it was the Mischief Squad who had been the first to speak out in their defense. Their neighborhood had been vandalized with paint, and in response, the squad had retaliated in kind, undeterred even by the threat of arrest.

It was from that incident that Weiwei began to develop a fondness for the trio, who seemed eccentric but were genuinely reliable, especially Yeyeyue.

But this is a game, and the choices lie with the players.

Observing this scene, Lane let out a gentle sigh. But from his standpoint, he had no right to interfere with the players' choices.

After all, it was just a game to them.

Still, there was a way to influence things slightly.

The Kamui Gathering dungeon came to an end.

The players eagerly awaited the dungeon's conclusion, or more precisely, the cathedral's settlement.

Majority Rules: Hehe, I'm sure I'll make it to the church this time, and since I'll be one of the first to die, I'll get to choose a great spot.

Druid: Hard to say; who knows how this decision-making works.

Majority Rules: Don't be jealous, Drizzt. You can join if you want to, hhh.

Matcha Milk Green: How many players have actually succeeded in dying on site?

Black Cat: Around a dozen or so. You guys really know how to die, huh. Only five cultists laughing and crying about it.

Majority Rules: It's not easy grabbing these opportunities, you know (blushing).

Life is but a Flicker: I've died too, hoping to get into the church.

Knock Me Out from Work to Home: +1 I've been waiting for this moment too long! Let me in, let me in!

Druid: The Kamui tribe has been holding funerals nonstop these days, all for you guys. I see them weeping their hearts out (shakes head).

Cosmic Machine: To be honest, I kind of regretted attending my own funeral after that. Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk. Now, all I can do is pray to get into the church.

The church's reckoning would take a few more days. Players needed to go through the game's regular mourning process with their characters before the outcome would be revealed. After a few days of anticipation, everyone logged into the game and rushed to the church as soon as the results were announced.

Sobbing echoes filled the air.

Player Forum:

Minority Obeys Majority: I failed! Why!

Life Is Fickle: Me too...

Autumn Sun Above All: I don't get it!

Motivated To Sleep Forever: Waaaah, I was so awesome! My acting was superb! I even saw the NPC I saved crying in gratitude, qwq.

Salty Tofu Brain Is Best: Yeah, based on the Church of Celestial Wisdom's mechanics, we should have shown the essence of humanity. Why did we fail? Could it be that our achievements didn't measure up to those of the mighty God Among Mortals?

Dare You Kiss: Can the church please provide a specific explanation of its mechanism? What exactly do we need to do to enter?

Maple Viper: Could it really require us to have no selfish motives at that moment?

Salted Smoked Soul Devouring Butterfly: "Haha, how could that be? There's no way to detect it in the game."

The players on the forum were buzzing with different opinions. In the meantime, Yeye was staring blankly at his character card displayed on the gravestone.

Barbar moved closer to him, her eyes wide with astonishment. "What the heck? You actually succeeded?"

"It seems... so," Yeye replied uncertainly.

Barbar scratched her head. "I saw that most people on the forum failed. So, what's the secret?"

Yeye shook his head. "I have no idea."

Yeye's character card had died once before, but back then, he hadn't been too affected. Dying in a tabletop RPG was a common occurrence.

However, perhaps because he had used this card for quite some time, seeing his character card's name on the gravestone stirred an indescribable discomfort in his heart.

Suddenly, Shu Shu Hao approached Barbar and the others, looking rather conflicted. He discreetly poked Barbar's shoulder.

"What's up?" Barbar turned around and asked casually. Seeing Shu Shu Hao frantically gesturing for silence, she grumbled, "What is it now?"

Noticing that Nian Nian had turned to look at him, Uncle Hao said helplessly, "I passed by Kamui's district earlier and heard what seemed like weeping. It appeared they were holding a funeral."

"Which Kamuy has met its end, I wonder?"

"..." Shu Huo glanced at Ye Ye and gritted his teeth. "But the funeral was held at the Carmens' residence. When we were bidding farewell to the body, I sneaked a peek outside and didn't see Wei Wei."

Upon hearing this, Baha and Yeye's minds went blank. Instinctively, Baha looked at Yeye, who was already sprinting toward the Kamui district.

The chat in the Troublemaker's live stream was still in confusion.

"What? What's going on?"

"..."

"Oh come on, it can't be."

"Are you guys hinting at something?"

"Yeah, Vivi wouldn't go and do something drastic, would she?"

"Grass? That tragic? No way, no way!"

"No way... Don't give us such heart-wrenching twists, ah—I feel my stomach cramping already."

"What's the big deal? It's just an NPC. Why are you all so worked up?"

"That newbie up there must be new. Any seasoned gamer or those who've followed the live stream from the beginning wouldn't say something like that."

"Yeah, after witnessing it all, the NPCs in this game have such high intelligence, they're so human-like. I subconsciously treat them as real people too. The thought of Vivian taking her life in a moment of despair, and how Yeyue would grieve... it's unbearable."

"That's straight-up mentally traumatizing. How could anyone carry on after that? If I were Nian Nian, I'd just shut myself off from the world."

"This proves one thing: don't get emotionally invested in NPCs in a Lovecraftian world – it'll cut you deep."

"I'm already on the verge of tears."

Contrary to what the live stream viewers might have assumed, Nian Nian wasn't thinking at all at that moment. Upon hearing Shu Shu Hao's words, her mind went blank, and she ran purely on instinct, driven by an innate impulse that led her to Kamui Street.

The atmosphere there was incredibly solemn, so much so that it stirred ominous thoughts within Nian Nian. Seeing the chat's speculations, she felt her steps growing heavier, and her heart sinking with each passing moment.

It was just a game.

Vivy was merely an NPC.

A mere string of data, even if she truly died... it wouldn't signify anything.

Voices within his mind tried to reason with him, but Yeye found no way to convince himself.

He rushed into the Carmen household, where a funeral was indeed taking place. The coffin rested at the center of the house. In accordance with the Kamui people's reverence for nature, instead of draping the corpse in white cloth, they adorned it with flowers. The wooden coffin bore intricate traditional patterns, symbolizing a return to nature from where one had come.

At the Carmens, Yeye saw Carmen, the woman, and two of the three brothers, but not Vivy, the sister.

His legs weakened, and he wondered if he had truly caused Vivy's demise.

Yeye wasn't certain if he had developed feelings for Vivy, but as he recalled the bitter kiss imprinted on her lips during her character's death and her lively, mischievous expressions in their past interactions...

It might not have been love, but he had certainly come to see Vivy as a sister... as a person.

Now, guilt and sorrow flooded his heart like a tidal wave.

"Aren't you...?" A hoarse female voice came from behind.

Nayue's shoulders trembled. He recognized the voice and turned around in disbelief. There, standing a meter away from him, was Weiwei, her eyes red-rimmed as if she had been crying for a long time. Her gaze towards him was filled with unfamiliarity and caution.

Nayue had already switched to a different card, a fresh start from his past self. The current card bore no resemblance to his former appearance.

Seeing 'resurrected' Weiwei standing before him, Nayue's mind went blank. All the emotions that had just surged within him vanished, leaving only bewilderment. "I... You... Eh?"

Shushu Hao and BaBa rushed in at that moment. Upon seeing Weiwei right in front of Nayue, BaBa's mouth gaped open, instinctively seeking Shushu Hao's reaction.

Shushu Hao scratched his head. "Ahaha, this is awkward."

He was puzzled too. Strange, he clearly didn't see Weiwei just now. When he mentioned her, Camen's face was full of sorrow and gravity, making him genuinely believe that Weiwei had followed Nayue to the afterlife.

"Damn, it was a misunderstanding."

"Damn, I just reported the official (awkward) how do I retract that?"

"I was about to report the official for being inhumane, creating such a melodramatic plot. Oh well, she's still alive, that's good news."

"I just imagined how Yeye must be feeling every night, and it's heart-wrenching."

"Still... Perhaps this is the same emotion Vivi had when she first saw Yeye's coffin."

"Ahh, let's not go there. It's too sad. In Vivi's eyes, Yeye will never awaken again."

Yeye was momentarily at a loss for words, staring blankly at Vivi's figure. After a while, he instinctively looked into the coffin, only to find an unfamiliar Kamui elder inside.

Vivi frowned, studying Yeye. "Who are you? How dare you barge into a funeral ceremony?"

Baba and Shu shi Hao quickly intervened. "Our apologies, she's our friend. It was all a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Vivi was puzzled but, out of respect for Baba and her friends, she didn't press the issue. Giving Yeye one last glance, she returned to her duties.

Yeye watched Vivi's unhesitant departure, lost in thought. Baba tapped his shoulder. "Regretting it?

Yeye forced a bitter smile. "Regret... It's probably too late now. There's no crossing paths with Vivi anymore."

He couldn't help but notice the redness around Vivi's eyes, yet thankfully, from the look in her depths, she seemed to have found solace from her grief.

She had always been a resilient girl.

After experiencing the bitter pain of separation and loss firsthand, Nian Nian finally realized that the act of tearing cards in this game was far more complex than she had initially thought.

It signified the end of a life, both for the character card and for the NPCs with whom it had formed connections.

Once a player detached from their character card, the intersecting destinies would diverge once more. Even if they acquired a new card and reunited, the dynamics would never be the same.

This bond, this tale, came to a full stop.

Still puzzled by the previous mishap, Shu Shu Hao approached Caimen, who was presiding over the funeral, and asked, "Caimen, who's the one that passed away? Why is the funeral at your place?"

Caimen replied calmly, "An elderly Kamui who reached a ripe old age. As for why it's at my house... he had no children to see him off, so it falls upon me to fulfill this duty."

His response was logical, leaving Shu Shu Hao to assume he had made an error. Unbeknownst to him, Caimen was also perplexed by Lahn's command. While it was true that the Kamui tribe's leader was responsible for seeing off elders without children, such ceremonies usually took place in their own homes. However, Lahn had requested that the funeral be held at his residence and instructed Vivi not to appear in the main hall for the time being.

But the gods had their reasons.

In the meantime, the players' forum was once again filled with wails of distress.

Delicious Peach of Mankind: How could this be! How could this be! I was just about to enroll in the University of Secrets, and it's already full? !?

Persistent Dreamer: Same here. Hang on, is it possible that the admission slots are tied to our original character cards?

Black Cat: Damn, didn't you guys know?

Brains for Breakfast: I did, but I thought there'd still be a chance... QAQ Are the spots really all taken?

Subordinate Can't Kiss Boss: It's true. I just tried, and the system said no more admissions to the University of Secrets. We have to wait for new openings.

Majority Rules: No way, no way! Ahhh, I'm going crazy!

Life is Like a Drifting Cloud: ...

The dozen veteran players who had torn their cards apart in the player forums were in despair, while the newcomers who had just entered the game in this new version were happily enjoying the chaos on the new map, sending several laughing emojis to express their schadenfreude.

Looks Matter: This is what happens when you lure us to the new map!

Tax Collector: Hahahaha!

When in doubt, choose B: Hilarious, serves you right! None of us are getting into M.U. now! (Wild dance) (Sinister crawl)

Has anyone seen my integrity? None shall enter, not a single one shall dare to step in!

Greetings from novice players, previously victimized by veterans, echoing the timeless principle: karma is a cycle, and no one is spared by the heavens.

And behind the scenes, the puppet master, Lane, spoke satisfactorily to the director of admissions at Michigan University, "In the future, just allocate a few spots regularly for Michigan. Increase the intake once this batch of players has graduated en masse."

The Admissions Director had no objections, and so Lane was dismissed.

With his eyes closed, he saw through the network of spiritual plants within the university that Not Crazy was assisting Professor Lakin in collecting fallen leaves and fruits from the spiritual plants. Matcha Latte was downstairs at Arkham Hospital, interning and honing her professional skills. Meanwhile, the Black Cat and the Druid were pestering Professor Alders for tales about the history of the Dream World.

Players and NPCs, students and professors – they seemed to be gradually blending into one another, with two worlds intertwining through the emotions exchanged between individuals.

Yes, everything was so delightful...

Except...

In a corner of the headmaster's office, the Prophet's faint voice echoed, "Um, could you please let me down now?"

Lahn glanced toward the corner of the headmaster's office where the Seer was now entangled in vines, a living embodiment of helplessness and vulnerability. "Of course…" he said with a faint, enigmatic smile, not daring to underestimate these monsters who had lived for millennia, especially after his previous encounter with Fate.

"No," the Seer's glowing eyes dimmed, and he spoke sorrowfully, "I really don't know him well. We haven't seen each other for centuries. Our paths diverged long ago."

"Why did your paths diverge?" Lahn asked curiously.

After Lahn had inflicted the Mad Mist upon Fate, the entity's consciousness had fled its body, leaving behind a cryptic warning: "Beware Judas."

Lahn wasn't sure what it meant. In biblical mythology, Judas was a traitor. Was the warning a subtle hint, or just another trap? The Seer remained silent, but Lahn was unperturbed. He had time to extract answers from the captive.

Fate's actions had thoroughly angered Lahn. Though there hadn't been many casualties – only players who could infinitely respawn had died – Lahn had long considered players part of his domain, and harming them was equivalent to harming his own people.

Undoubtedly, Fate had landed on Lane's blacklist. Enveloping him in fog wasn't even considered a retaliation. Lane planned to visit the Bureau of Inquiry next, where he suspected Fate's true form resided.

At that moment, a knock sounded outside the Headmaster's office. Without lifting his head, Lane said, "Come in."

The ones who entered were Kerry and Archie, two of the victims from the assembly. As Kerry walked in, he noticed the tattoo on the Prophet's wrist and then met his gaze.

The Prophet's eyes lit up. "Kerry! Save me!"

Looking at Lane, Kerry asked, "Lord Lane, is he your enemy?"

"Potentially, depending on the situation. Hmm, do you know him well?" Lane gave Kerry a quizzical smile.

Under the hopeful gaze of the Prophet, Kerry answered without hesitation, "Not really. We haven't seen each other in a long time. Our paths diverged a while ago."

Prophet: ?