Chapter 27: CH 27

Lian Qiao flipped open his laptop and opened a social media article: “Two days ago, a large truck swerved into a shop on the side of the road in order to avoid a pedestrian and crashed. The driver was killed. Did you know?”

{Author didn’t mention it again but if you remember from the first chapter, XRD crossed at a pedestrian crossing when it indicated it was safe to walk. He didn’t run out in front of the truck. Thought I’d mention it again since I forgot myself.}

Xu RenDong nodded, “I know. I was the pedestrian.”

Lian Qiao was not surprised by this and instead sighed and said, “Sure enough, that Mr. Xu on the news was you. That truck driver was one of our teammates, you should have discovered that too.”

Xu RenDong: “I thought that the people who died there were completely dead. I didn’t expect that they would die again when they returned to reality.”

Lian Qiao sighed, “Yes, do you remember the other person who died with him, that young man? I found him as well. He happened to be a friend of my friend. He drank to death on Friday night.”

Xu RenDong fell into silence. Lian Qiao turned his head and looked at him thoughtfully: “It’s not surprising that the two of them died but the person that the big truck driver almost ran into was really you. That’s too much of a coincidence… Can you tell me what happened that day?”

Xu RenDong told Lian Qiao what had happened that night. After Lian Qiao heard it, he showed a thoughtful expression.

“Actually, I found some of the other people in the team over the past few days.” Lian Qiao said, “I asked them and they all experienced a similar situation to ours. They all saw the elevator after encountering a life and death situation. Some said they were running away from gangsters when they saw the elevator and ran in without even thinking about it. Some fell into the water and almost drowned. As for me, I was running at night and accidentally fell into a ditch. I didn’t feel anything at the time but only after coming out from the elevator did I discover there was a broken steel bar near where I fell, just a few centimeters away from my neck. And Brother RenDong, you had a car accident. Coincidentally, the person who nearly hit you was also with you and entered the world of ghosts and monsters together.”

Xu RenDong said in deep thought, “So… the elevator is a test for a dying person? If you can pass the test, then you can cheat death?”

Lian Qiao: “You can interpret it like that. But there’s something else I thought of. It’s not necessarily correct and is just my guess.”

Xu RenDong: “Go on.”

Lian Qiao said, “Brother RenDong, do you remember that after you found the elevator and the button, the elevator didn’t work. After the truck driver died, the elevator suddenly started working.”

Xu RenDong’s face sank, “You mean the exit will only open after someone dies?”

Lian Qiao thought for a while, then shook his head: “I think it may not be that simple. The big truck driver crashed in order to avoid you. If he didn’t turn his steering wheel then the person who would have died was not him but you. So I guess…” He hesitated and sighed. “I think because in the real world there is a conflict between you and him. One of you has to die. And you happened to enter the same ghost world. That meant the world cannot let you both live because it would conflict with the events of the real world. Therefore, the elevator couldn’t be used until he was dead.”

Lian Qiao’s analysis was very reasonable but after Xu RenDong heard it, his brows wrinkled deeper. The argument of survival conflict is reasonable but the problem is that he can be resurrected indefinitely after death and the truck driver obviously can’t.

In other words, in the life-and-death game between him and the truck driver, only he can be the winner. Wasn’t that unfair? If he were the intended winner, it was very disgraceful to win through this kind of underhanded method. And the victory prize was the precious chance of survival. This made Xu RenDong feel even more embarrassed. He felt like a cheater who had robbed another person’s life in a despicable manner without even realizing it.

Xu RenDong didn’t want to think anymore and said: “By the way, when I got out of the elevator, didn’t I ask if you heard any noise? In fact, at that time…”

He repeated the vague words he heard. Aside, Lian Qiao immediately took out his phone and recorded it: *** is ***, you want ***. You will experience countless tortures, but this is not ***, it is ***. When you reach ***, you will understand ***. *** Live on.

Lian Qiao studied this passage over and over, then shook his head and said, “No, there is too much key information missing and I don’t know what it’s talking about… Well, don’t you think it’s like a special phrase? All keywords fragments have been coded. It is estimated that more keywords will be unlocked by clearing the following instances.”

Xu RenDong asked, “Is there anyone else in this situation?”

Lian Qiao: “None of the people I talked to mentioned anything like this. Of course, it’s also possible that they deliberately kept it from me. By the way, Brother RenDong, haven’t you been in the elevator six times? Is this the first time you’ve heard this? Oh right, I also inquired about the key that the rabbit gave us. The things in the instance cannot be brought out unless they are hidden items. Hidden items are very rare. It is difficult for people to simply survive, let alone find hidden items. But if you can find one, it will be of great help to the subsequent instances. Brother RenDong, have you gotten any hidden items before?”

Xu RenDong was taken aback and deeply realized what the words “if you tell one lie, you will need to tell countless more lies to cover it up” meant.

Although he did experience the world of ghosts and monsters six times, they were all in the same instance. He really didn’t grasp any useful information, let alone any hidden items.

At this time, Xu RenDong suddenly realized that  in fact, all those dolls were found by Lian Qiao. The conditions for killing the rabbits were also inferred by Lian Qiao. Even now, Lian Qiao is trying to figure out the mechanism of the ghost world little by little through various clues.

Not to mention intelligence, even his physical strength was much worse than Lian Qiao’s. Lian Qiao ran faster than the rabbit and fought more fiercely than Brother Sledgehammer. Apart from being timid, he had no shortcomings.

Lian Qiao called him the big boss but in fact the big boss was himself.

Xu RenDong fell silent. Lian Qiao misunderstood and quickly apologized: “Big brother, I was wrong. Everyone should have their own hidden weapons. I shouldn’t have just asked about it. I’m sorry, big boss.”

Xu RenDong: “…” Although he knew it was unintentional, Lian Qiao’s “big boss” sounded like mockery.

Fortunately at this time, Xu RenDong’s takeaway order arrived. He quickly asked Lian Qiao to eat together.

Lian Qiao was very surprised: “Huh? Brother RenDong, I thought you’d be the type to make your own meals.”

Xu RenDong: “I’m busy with work and don’t have time to do it. Also I don’t know how.”

Xu RenDong handed him the disposable chopsticks. Lian Qiao took the chopsticks and lowered his head and didn’t show what he was thinking.

Xu RenDong asked: “What’s wrong, doesn’t it suit your tastes?”

Lian Qiao said hurriedly: “It’s not… well, there is something, I actually wanted to say it this whole time but I feel a little embarrassed.”

Xu RenDong: “It’s okay, what do you want to say?”

Lian Qiao: “Um… well, I’m not trying to invade your privacy, really. Or trying to act familiar. But when I first met you, I really had a very familiar feeling. Have we met before? “

Xu RenDong was startled and an impulse suddenly surged in his heart. He wanted to tell Lian Qiao how they were reborn and died together several times. But as soon as this thought arose in his heart, his lips began to tingle and his tongue was stiff as if it had been cemented.

Sure enough, it was still the case even after returning to the real world.

He couldn’t say even a word so he could only shake his head in silence.

Lian Qiao thoughtfully said, “Well, then it might be déjà vu.”

Xu RenDong didn’t hear clearly: “What?”

Lian Qiao: “Déjà vu is…well, it’s a form of visual perception. For example, when you go to a place you’ve never been to but you feel familiar as if you’ve been there before or perhaps like you’d seen it in a dream. Some people say that this is a memory from a previous life and others say it’s just an illusion of the brain. Anyway, the specific physiological mechanism has not been figured out yet.”

Xu RenDong felt more bitter in his heart when he heard him say this. He pursed his lips, and said lightly: “It’s possible.”

Lian Qiao said, “But it’s still very strange.”

Xu RenDong: “What’s strange?”

Lian Qiao said, “I feel like I know many things about you. For example, I think…” He paused and then he seemed a little embarrassed to say it.

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Xu RenDong: “It’s okay, just go ahead.”

Lian Qiao lowered his head and fidgeted with the rice. He whispered: “I think you are a very family-conscious person who would cook in an apron. But you just said you don’t.”

Xu RenDong: “Probably that day I made the bed for you so you have this illusion. I really don’t know how to cook.”

Lian Qiao shook his head: “It’s not just that.”

Xu RenDong: “Huh?”

Lian Qiao “Do you still remember that on the second day in the ghost world, you didn’t eat breakfast? I brought you milk and bread and I made you angry.”

Xu RenDong suddenly wrinkled reflexively when he heard the words bread and milk. Lian Qiao hurriedly apologized: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to annoy you. I really didn’t know that you don’t eat these two things. But I always feel… well, do you have stomach problems? Like because you often don’t eat on time so you have stomach aches easily? And you can’t eat anything that’s too cold?

Xu RenDong really was surprised now. He also remembered that during one of the reincarnations, Lian Qiao once said that he knew that his stomach was not good and that he could not drink cold milk. He even deliberately used his body temperature to help him warm up the milk.

At that time he thought Lian Qiao had mistaken him for someone else. But in the last reincarnation, Lian Qiao followed him almost the whole time and he had not been in contact with anyone else. He was also very sure that he had never mentioned his physical condition to Lian Qiao.

How did Lian Qiao know?

Xu RenDong pondered for a moment: “What else do you know about me?”

Lian Qiao sighed, “There must be something wrong with me. We have just met each other not long ago but sometimes I will think of something when I look at you… But it is also possible that it’s just my own brain making up things. After all, sometimes I guess wrongly. Like how you don’t know how to cook but I feel like I’ve seen you wearing an apron.”

Xu RenDong frowned unconsciously. He is very sure that he has never worn an apron from birth up until now, let alone wear it in front of another person.

Lian Qiao misunderstood what he meant by frowning and quickly raised his hands to show his innocence: “Brother RenDong, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a ‘stoka’.” {Last word said in Japan-lish=stalker.}

Xu RenDong: “’Stoka’?”

Lian Qiao: “Uh, you know some that… follows you, stalks you, quietly observes your every move. That kind of… weirdo.”

Xu RenDong: “…you young people have such strange notions.”

Lian Qiao aggrieved: “I really didn’t stalk you! I really… I don’t know why, anyway, I just think… that you are so familiar.”

The phrase “you are so familiar” was like a cat’s paw, gently scratching Xu RenDong’s heart. Xu RenDong only felt a faint sorrow and grief in his chest which made him want to talk and confess all his thoughts to Lian Qiao. But he couldn’t.

He could only suppress his emotions and said with extreme restraint: “I also think that you are familiar too. Maybe we have seen each other somewhere but we have forgotten about it.”

That was actually what Lian Qiao said to him in a certain reincarnation. But now Lian Qiao has forgotten about it.

Lian Qiao couldn’t hear the words he was thinking.  He only curved his eyes and smiled: “Then we must be thankful for the instance, otherwise we might never have had a chance to meet again.”

Xu RenDong smiled and said nothing.

It’s still early after dinner. Lian Qiao asked to borrow his home’s wifi and electricity socket for a while. Since he hadn’t completed his live broadcasting time quota today yet. Xu RenDong poured him a glass of water and curiously sat beside him on the sofa: “Do you hosts have time quotas too?”

Lian Qiao said: “Yes, streaming hosts who have signed a contract must ensure that they broadcast live for more than two hours a day. I usually broadcast live from 8 to 10 in the evening. Ah… but you’ve watched my live broadcast so you should know this.”

Xu RenDong was taken aback and then he remembered that he had lied casually before by saying that he was a fan of Lian Qiao. Suddenly he had a guilty conscience so he turned his eyes away and said: “Well since you are busy, I won’t disturb you.”

He walked silently elsewhere in order to ease the embarrassment and casually looked for a book to read.

Lian Qiao saw him reading so he deliberately lowered his voice. Like a thief, he whispered to his audience to explain: “I’m back now. But there’s someone next to me so I can’t talk too loudly. Can you guys hear me like this?”

His audience expressed they could. Some viewers who weren’t too familiar with him asked in the barrage: “Are your parents outside? Host, have you finished your summer homework?

Lian Qiao ignored it. His voice was soft and cute and he is often misunderstood as being younger than he actually was. His old fans knew though and would help him explain.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Lian Qiao clicked on the game, the barrage suddenly started to swipe across the screen.

Host turn around! Your parents are sending you fruit!

Host turn around! Your parents are coming to check your homework!

Host turn around! Your parents are coming to confiscate your computer!

Lian Qiao thought: My parent is studying hard by himself! He thought about it and felt it was quite funny. He couldn’t help but really turned his head back and glance at Xu RenDong.

After looking, he couldn’t help being stunned. He saw Xu RenDong sitting on the side of the round and small coffee table. The floor-standing table lamp shed warm yellow light from above his head, setting off the charming facial features more deeply and more profoundly.

Right now, Xu RenDong was like a handsome priest sitting among the rose bushes, holding a Bible in his hand. When he lowered his head to read, his expression was very focused, as if the world outside the book had nothing to do with him. His thick eyelashes were black like crow feathers, blinking slowly, and each stroke seemed to lightly sweep the tip of Lian Qiao’s heart, making his heart itchy.

He didn’t know how long he watched until Xu RenDong noticed something and raised his head in confusion. Then Lian Qiao suddenly retracted his eyes, his heart pounding for fear that he would find him peeking at him.

Xu RenDong probably thought that he was thinking too much so he adjusted his sitting posture and continued reading with his head down.

Lian Qiao didn’t dare to move and sat stiffly for a while to make sure that Xu RenDong was not suspicious of him. Only then did he turn his attention back to the live broadcast. Since he hadn’t operated the game for a long time, the live broadcast room had exploded in this time and the audience was frantically swiping the screen: It’s over, it’s over, the host has been taken away by his parents. It’s over, it’s over, the host’s computer was confiscated.

Lian Qiao stared blankly at the barrage that was about to overflow the screen, and a line of big words floated in his heart.

It’s over, it’s over, the host has really become an obsessed idiot.

***

The author has something to say:

Note: Stoka: Originally English stalker, referring to the stalker and the follower. Japanese directly transliterates imported words. If you understand the pronunciation of Japanese English, it becomes su to ka, and the semantics also extend to stalkers and idiots. Network terms are sometimes abbreviated as stk directly. Another: Even though Lian Qiao knows a little bit about everything, he is mainly a Japanese-style host. When explaining stk, the “Oyuki” he mentioned unconsciously is actually a Japanese 18-ban H-GAME…

Don’t ask me why I know it, I am good at searching information. Doghead.jpg

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