Chapter 101: Dimension 08

Chapter 101: Dimension 08

Time rewinds to three hours later.

Under the scorching sun, the wall crumbles as dust falls, and following the wire-assisted youth's repeated leaps, this weathered alley faces yet another severe test.

The protagonist, who should have been saving the damsel in distress, is surrounded by trembling black lines under the intimidating gaze of the men in floral shirts. The special effects and script are gravely mismatched, leaving him tearless but frustrated at the eighteenth take of this scene.

Near the entrance of the film city, a sedan rapidly exits the parking lot, revealing Xiao Ming's face, flushed with triumph through the open window.

The highway leads to the distant, bustling city, where the early summer sun shines intensely, spreading over every corner. Skyscrapers and long streets intersect, and people rush about their business.

On the lively street, groups of people gather here and there, emitting faint sounds of commotion.

In the shop beneath the brightly colored "Beautiful Breakfast" sign, the handsome young man with beautiful brown hair widens his eyes, a sea of vivid exclamation marks rising behind him.

Yu Bai, his face full of surprise, exclaims, "You're going to find that agent?!"

The blue-eyed man says, "I haven't set a time with him yet."

That's why Xie Wufang asked him what he planned to do next upon returning from his phone call.

Amidst his astonishment, Yu Bai suddenly feels a surge of curiosity.

So Xie Wufang accepting the agent's card on the bus wasn't just out of politeness?

He recalls the agent's persuasive monologue, delivered with the enthusiasm of a monkey on a mission, and can't help but ask, "Are you thinking of becoming an actor?"

When Yu Bai politely declined the agent earlier, he genuinely forgot to ask for his companion's thoughts.

After all, before crossing dimensions, they had chatted at home, and Xie Wufang had already mentioned having no interest in acting.

Was he swayed by the agent's pitch?

Yu Bai, head full of question marks, ponders this, only to hear Xie Wufang's calm voice, "No."

"He said he could find a teacher to teach me how to create."

Create?

Yu Bai is momentarily stunned.

Why the sudden interest in creation?

And if he was truly interested, he could have asked him.

Though he was merely a writer for a third-rate magazine, he could at least support himself with his profession.

...Wait a moment.

Xie Wufang did ask him.

Realizing this, Yu Bai can't help but burst into laughter. "Are you going to learn how to lie from a teacher?"

Xie Wufang nods gently, "Yes."

The non-human's expression is so candid and open that it almost gives Yu Bai the impression that "lying" is a serious and profound subject.

In a way, it could indeed be considered a form of creation.

It's unclear how Xie Wufang and the agent communicated.

Perhaps it was like the chicken and duck conversation with the boss lady teaching fried chicken.

...Thinking about it, he's actually quite intrigued.

Yu Bai's smile deepens, not attempting to dissuade Xie Wufang.

After all, it's rare for the non-human to have something he actively wants to do.

Moreover, although the agent resembles a hyperactive gold medal salesman, he somehow comes across as surprisingly sincere, without any dark emotional special effects. He probably isn't a bad person.

"We don't have anything urgent to do, so you can do whatever you want," Yu Bai says. "Do you want me to come with you?"

He's absolutely not looking for a spectacle.

He's just worried that the deity might accidentally fall for a human's trick.

"Alright," Xie Wufang agrees without refusal. "I'll set a time with him."

Although the call hasn't been made yet, Yu Bai suspects that given the agent's personality, he would prefer to meet as soon as possible, hoping to finalize things on the spot.

So, while waiting for him to make the call, Yu Bai steps out of the breakfast shop to inform his other two companions.

Earlier, when a fight broke out on the street, someone trying to mediate noticed the police officer in uniform inside the steamed bun shop and ran over to seek help from Uncle Policeman.

This matter doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of the criminal investigation unit, but Li Nanxiao still went to handle it.

Qiao Jinmei, of course, followed to watch the commotion, not forgetting to grab a handful of melon seeds along the way.

With the sudden appearance of the police and their stern commands, the two men who were wrestling finally separate, spitting at each other, "F*ck you! Don't let me see you again!"

"You f*ck off! Watch your mouth!"

They were already in the final phase of exchanging threats when, in a blink of an eye, they notice the slow ascent of a regretful little ghost hovering above some of the onlookers' heads, reigniting their anger.

"What's your problem? Huh? Haven't seen enough, have you? Come on, come on—"

The enraged man was about to charge forward again, causing the crowd to gasp in unison, surging and swaying chaotically in all directions. Ultimately, it was Li Nanxiao, the volunteer laborer, who prevented another commotion.

"Shut up!" The stern-faced police officer exuded an imposing presence. "Do you want to come back to the police station with me?!"

On the surface, the man was belligerent, but deep down, he was actually afraid of the police. He had no choice but to leave with a face full of resentment.

"…Forget it, I'm just unlucky!"

The commotion on the street finally subsided as everyone dispersed. Qiao Jinmei, leaning against the shop entrance and munching on sunflower seeds, sighed, "What a temper! Harmony brings wealth."

Yu Bai, who was inside the shop earlier and unaware of the cause, curiously asked Li Nanxiao, who was walking back, "Uncle Li, what happened? Why did they start fighting?"

The head of the criminal investigation team sighed, "It's still because of that special effect."

"It was originally a minor dispute. A sincere apology could have resolved it. However, with real emotions displayed above everyone's heads, when someone with a bad temper meets someone with poor manners, a fight breaks out at the slightest disagreement."

Li Nanxiao glanced at his phone, which kept flashing with new messages, and pressed his temple that was starting to throb again.

"Fights are considered minor issues. Honestly, there's no time to deal with these people. Although someone nearby called the police, it's unlikely any officers can arrive for a while. Every police station in each district is severely understaffed right now, and places for detaining people are all filled up."

The animated special effect had only been around for three hours.

A world where true emotions were exposed was indeed more dangerous and chaotic than under normal circumstances.

Yu Bai, having seen the last scene, sincerely said, "Fortunately, you came over without changing out of your police uniform. Otherwise, you might not have been able to stop them."

"Yes," Li Nanxiao said hesitantly. "My colleagues from the criminal investigation team are also busy. And cases that I've never encountered before have appeared."

Compared to the previous independent Go universe, now two universes were merging, with the real world intertwining with the animated world. The extent of their fusion was temporarily undeterminable, and many developments might be vastly different.

Seeing his troubled expression, Yu Bai realized something and was about to speak when Xie Wufang walked over from behind.

"He said he'll be at the company in half an hour, and we should go over anytime," Xie Wufang's gaze swept over the suddenly illuminated phone screen. "The address has already been sent over."

Li Nanxiao was somewhat surprised. "You're going out?"

"Yes, I'm accompanying Xiao Xie for a trip," Yu Bai took over his words. "We'll take a stroll around and see if we can encounter any aliens."

Although even if they did, they might not be able to recognize them.

He didn't say what he was going to do with Xie Wufang.

After all, if he told the police uncle who advocated honesty, that they were planning to learn how to lie…

Something seemed off about that.

Yu Bai said earnestly, "Uncle Li, you should go ahead and get busy. It's a good opportunity for us to familiarize ourselves with this world and see how much it's been influenced by that animation. Later, we can exchange information."

He knew that Li Nanxiao was a very responsible police officer who devoted almost all his energy to work, with a pitiful personal life. That's why he hadn't considered starting a family and was often teased by his subordinates for being a workaholic among workaholics.

Whether it was his sense of responsibility towards ordinary citizens or his colleagues in the police force, it made it impossible for him to stand idly by.

Even if this was a parallel universe destined to have no future.

Either it would dissipate after its expiration, becoming a vague memory for people in the real world, or it would meet its end under the attack of aliens.

"That's good. I was worried they wouldn't be able to handle it."

Li Nanxiao seemed to put one worry aside, his features relaxing slightly. He specifically instructed, "When you go out, pay attention to safety. Try to avoid those whose emotions are clearly abnormal. If anything happens, contact me."

Beside them, Qiao Jinmei immediately put down her sunflower seeds, dusting off her fragrant palms. A fiery determination ignited behind her. "That makes sense. Then I'll go around and investigate for aliens too. If I find anything, I'll let you know right away. Come on, let me save your number."

The other two humans exchanged contact information as requested.

"Oh, oh, Captain Li, can you give me a copy of those notes you made? Or shall I help you organize them? My Chinese was pretty good in school!"

"No need, I'll make you a photocopy. Is there a print shop nearby?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's just around the corner. I'll show you! Seriously, Captain Li, your handwriting is quite nice. I can actually understand everything. It's much easier to read than doctors' medical records!"

"…Thank you."

Was this praise? Or was it praise?

In any case, it sounded strange.

Seeing Uncle Li's forehead crease frequently with a tic, Yu Bai couldn't help but secretly laugh after turning around.

Under the bright summer sunshine, the lush streets saw pairs of people heading in different directions.

The address given by Xiao Ming, the agent, was also in the city center, not far away. They arrived after a ten-minute walk.

On the way there, besides the seemingly unchanged urban scenery, the originally hurried and expressionless people now carried various emotional landscapes: sadness, joy, breakdowns…

And occasionally, call storyboards visible in the air.

Two dimensions perfectly blended here, creating a kind of beauty that bordered on madness.

As Yu Bai passed strangers, his fingertips accidentally brushed past the intangible damp rain behind them, as if briefly intersecting with that sorrowful world.

He sighed softly and said to the person beside him, "I wonder if these special effects will disappear… What if the world falls into chaos before the alien attack?"

Sirens wailed intermittently throughout the city, along with ambulance alarms.

Xie Wufang didn't know the answer and wasn't good at imagining scenarios, so he merely cast a comforting glance, his eyes gentle and clear. The gray-blue lake water rippled quietly, serene and beautiful.

The office building where the agency was located was glossy and pristine. The two walked into the elevator lobby under the unwavering gaze of the receptionist, pressed the elevator button, and prepared to go upstairs to find Xiao Ming.

With a ding, the elevator doors slowly closed.

Not far away, two figures were also approaching.

The youngster with his hands in his pockets and a languid gait, and the assistant who was jogging toward the elevator.

Thus, a scene that felt all too familiar played out once again.

"Hey—wait!"

Accompanied by hurried footsteps, a hand suddenly shot out, blocking the elevator doors just as they were about to close.