Li Jianxi paused for a moment, pretending not to notice the displeased look in his eyes, and politely greeted Li Feng, “Hello.”
Li Feng responded with a stern expression, “My sister and I grew up together, and we’ve always said things directly to each other. I won’t beat around the bush this time either. Being friends is fine, but don’t expect anything more.”
Fu Huan wasn’t happy with this. “Hey, what’s with you…”
Li Feng shot her a glance.
The aura around him was menacing.
Fu Huan immediately shrunk back like a scared quail, silently closing her mouth, not daring to say another word.
Li Zhi knew her brother’s personality well. After hearing what he said, she couldn’t help but smile wryly, “Brother, it’s not like that.”
Li Feng said, “I know it’s not you, but him…” He looked icily at Li Jianxi. “He’s another story.”
As a man himself, how could he not see through this guy’s intentions?
Indeed, this guy named Li Jianxi had helped his sister many times. In terms of both appearance and character, he was outstanding. If they had met in the real world, he would have been happy for his sister to have such a remarkable suitor.
But the fact that he was just an NPC in a virtual instance overshadowed all of his other qualities! From a societal perspective, an NPC in a virtual world doesn’t even count as a real person! Not to mention, they exist in two entirely separate worlds. Even if he was different from other NPCs, even if he had self-awareness and was no different from a real human, so what?
Other people might have long-distance or cross-country relationships, but his sister? Was she supposed to pioneer a relationship across worlds?
As an official player, Li Feng was well aware that the country was trying every possible means to expel the [Ghost] system. Once they succeeded and the virtual instances closed, Li Jianxi, this NPC, would vanish with it. What would happen to his sister then? She wouldn’t even have a single keepsake to remember him by.
This must not happen!
His sister might not have feelings for him yet, but who could say for sure that she wouldn’t fall for him under his persistent pursuit? No! He had to cut off any possibility!
Thinking of this, Li Feng’s tone became even colder. “Li Jianxi, I don’t care what your intentions are. Once this instance ends, you are not to see my sister again.”
There are so many instances out there—why does he have to be an NPC in front of his sister?
Li Zhi coughed awkwardly. “Brother, actually, it’s me who—”
“No.”
Li Jianxi suddenly interrupted her before she could finish.
His voice was calm, and his expression remained composed—not the type of anger or resentment one might expect from a rejection. His eyes were quiet and clear, reflecting the sunlight, as if he were simply refusing a request he didn’t want, like a child.
He calmly looked at Li Feng and said, “I don’t want to.”
Li Feng’s face grew even colder.
Fu Huan buried her head in her food, struggling to keep from laughing.
Li Zhi was also a bit surprised as she looked at Li Jianxi.
Li Feng, angry to the point of laughter, asked, “So you admit you have designs on my sister?”
Li Jianxi denied it. “No. I just want to see her and be with her.”
This… and he still says he doesn’t have any intentions?
Li Feng felt an urge to punch someone.
Li Zhi spoke up at this moment, curious, “Is it because of that sense of familiarity you mentioned earlier? Are you trying to recover lost memories through me?”
Li Jianxi pressed his lips together and quietly said, “No.”
He lowered his gaze, and after a long while, he finally spoke again, “It’s only when I’m with you that I feel like… myself.”
Li Feng had no idea how the conversation veered off into philosophical musings about identity—what was this “I am myself” or “I am not myself” nonsense? He was convinced this guy was doing it on purpose, throwing around vague ideas to cover up his true intentions towards his sister!
But the worst part? His sister seemed convinced!
She even turned to him and tried to persuade him, “Brother, I know what’s right and what’s wrong.”
Li Feng: “…”
He clenched his fists and, seeing the resolute look in his sister’s eyes, took a few deep breaths before finally speaking slowly, “Zhi Zhi, you’ve always had a strong sense of judgment. Since you’re saying this, your brother won’t interfere in your interactions anymore.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he couldn’t help but twitch slightly at the corner of his eye.
Why did he suddenly feel like the villain trying to break up a young couple?
Li Zhi smiled sweetly, “Thank you, brother.”
Li Jianxi also said sincerely, “Thank you.”
Li Feng suppressed his frustration, but he couldn’t hold it in any longer and shot Li Jianxi a fierce glare. Out of sight, out of mind—having said all he needed to say, he grabbed his lunchbox and walked away before he truly lost his appetite.
Fu Huan felt like clapping for the scene.
Ah! Why was this being censored? This moment deserved to be shared with the entire nation, so they could all witness the epic sugar rush of this couple fighting for love!
Li Zhi turned to Fu Huan and said kindly, “Please don’t spread what just happened.”
Fu Huan nodded rapidly, “I won’t, I won’t! Don’t worry, my lips are sealed!”
Li Jianxi lowered his head, quietly smiling, and turned off the silencing device. The sound and video feed resumed, much to the frustration of the spectators outside:
【Censored again! Censored again! What kind of restricted content is there that I, as a VIP, am not allowed to hear?】
【Li Jianxi, you’re abusing your gadgets in the instance, aren’t you!】
【Li Feng didn’t look happy. Did they argue? But judging by the video, it didn’t look like a fight.】
【Fu Huan’s expression is full of fangirl excitement! I don’t care! There’s definitely some sweet moments here, hehe!】
…
After lunch, Li Zhi gathered the other players and whispered instructions, “There’s something wrong with the rooms that have couplets posted on the doors. The people living inside are probably not alive. Try to avoid them, and definitely don’t knock on the doors.”
Everyone nodded quickly.
While it was still daylight, the group decided to continue investigating clues in the apartment. Li Zhi planned to head to the sixth floor again to see if she could find a chance to meet Chen Meiqian. Just as she was about to leave with Meng Yuhan, Qiao Junyuan suddenly called out to her.
“Sister Li Zhi.” His youthful voice carried a hint of hesitation. “I want to confirm something on the second floor. Could you come with me?”
Earlier, as they passed the second floor, he had glanced down the hallway, seemingly spotting a clue.
Li Zhi smiled and didn’t refuse, “Sure.”
She turned to Meng Yuhan and said, “You stay here. If you come across any NPCs, try to get some information out of them.”
Meng Yuhan nodded obediently, “Okay!”
Li Zhi then walked over to Qiao Junyuan, “Let’s go.”
Qiao Junyuan let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her. “Thank you, Sister Li Zhi.”
Li Zhi smiled back at him, glancing his way. “Thank you for being willing to share the clue with me.”
As the two of them headed towards the apartment entrance, Li Feng joined them, his tone calm. “I’ll go with you.”
The three entered the apartment. Perhaps because the stairwell was too dark, Qiao Junyuan tripped on the stairs, almost falling to his knees. Li Zhi, walking beside him, reacted quickly and caught him by the arm. “Careful.”
Qiao Junyuan grabbed her wrist to steady himself, muttering under his breath, “This place is way too dark.”
Li Zhi glanced at him with a gentle smile. “Watch your step.”
Behind them, Li Feng frowned slightly and moved a bit closer to his sister.
As they climbed to the second floor, the rooms with couplets and lanterns hanging from the doors loomed ominously in the dim corridor, exuding an eerie, deathly atmosphere.
Qiao Junyuan led the way, speaking in a low voice, “It’s over there…”
He took a few steps, but suddenly realized the others hadn’t followed him.
Turning around, he saw Li Zhi standing still at the entrance to the hallway.
Qiao Junyuan tilted his head slightly, puzzled. “Sister Li Zhi, what’s wrong? Come here.”
Li Zhi took a small step forward, and the warning device in her arms began to beep more sharply. She stopped again, but her expression remained calm as she smiled. “What clue? You can tell me now.”
Qiao Junyuan responded, “Come over here, and I’ll show you.”
Li Zhi’s gaze grew colder, though her tone remained gentle. “Is there really a clue?”
Qiao Junyuan frowned in confusion. “Sister Li Zhi, what’s going on with you?”
Just as he finished speaking, Li Feng suddenly shouted, “Zhi Zhi, watch out!”
He had been standing right next to Li Zhi, and in an instant, he pulled her to the side. At the same time, a brick fell from the ceiling of the corridor and crashed right where Li Zhi had been standing moments ago. With a loud thud, the brick shattered in two. If it had hit her, it would have caused a serious injury.
The warning device in her arms continued to screech, and Li Zhi quickly made a decision. “Downstairs, now!”
Li Feng grabbed her wrist, and they immediately turned to head downstairs. As they descended, something went wrong—Li Zhi’s foot slipped as if the step had suddenly vanished beneath her. She lost her balance and fell forward.
Li Feng felt the sudden weight on his arm but didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip on his sister, and in the next moment, they both tumbled down the stairs. All he could do was shield her head as they rolled from the second floor to the first. Once they hit the bottom, he quickly scrambled to his feet.
“Zhi Zhi? Where did you get hurt?”
Li Zhi moved slightly as her brother helped her sit up. She rolled up her sleeve and looked at her scraped elbow. “It’s nothing.”
Li Feng, full of anger, turned sharply towards Qiao Junyuan, who had followed them down in a rush. He anxiously asked, “Sister Li Zhi, Brother Li Feng, are you okay?”
Li Zhi gently held her brother’s wrist, shaking her head slightly.
Now wasn’t the time to hold him accountable, and Li Feng understood. He ignored Qiao Junyuan and helped his sister outside. The warning device in her arms finally stopped blaring. As they exited the apartment, Li Jianxi rushed over from the security booth.
“What happened?”
Li Zhi smiled slightly. “I fell and scraped my elbow. It’s nothing.”
Li Jianxi’s gaze darkened as he looked at her bleeding elbow. “Wait here for a moment.”
He hurried back to the security booth and returned quickly, holding a small bottle. He was just about to reach for Li Zhi’s arm when Li Feng intercepted him. “I’ll do it.”
Silently, Li Jianxi handed him the bottle.
Li Feng lifted his sister’s wrist and sprayed the medicine on her injury. The scraped skin instantly scabbed over, healing as if by some medical miracle. Li Zhi moved her elbow, noticing that the pain had completely disappeared. Although she was aware that medical items in the virtual instance were extraordinary, experiencing it firsthand was still surprising.
She smiled at Li Jianxi. “Thank you.”
Li Feng also said in a deep voice, “Thank you.”
He handed the small bottle back to Li Jianxi, but Li Jianxi didn’t take it. “I don’t need it; you keep it.”
Right, special NPCs dropping items again.
The spectators, watching this scene, started catching on:
【So this item only drops for Li Zhi, huh?】
【So only Li Zhi can gain favor with this NPC?】
【It’s love, isn’t it!】
【But that was strange. Why did Li Zhi encounter two dangers in a row?】
【Qiao Junyuan seems a bit off, doesn’t he? Not like a good person.】
【Come on! He’s just a 15-year-old kid. Do we really need to think so badly of him?】
【The building itself is creepy. Maybe the hidden ghosts took action against Li Zhi because she’s too strong.】
…
As the barrage of comments continued, Li Zhi lowered her rolled-up sleeve and glanced at Qiao Junyuan, who had followed them. She quietly said to her brother, “He likely used an item on me.”
When they were going upstairs, Li Zhi had caught Qiao Junyuan when he nearly fell, which resulted in physical contact. That was probably when he used the item on her.
Li Feng frowned. “A killing item?”
Li Zhi shook her head. “Probably not that severe. Falling down the stairs wouldn’t have killed me. The alarm has stopped, meaning the danger from the item is gone.”
She thought for a moment. “If the alarm hadn’t gone off, we might have followed him further. And what would’ve happened then?”
Li Feng slowly realized Qiao Junyuan’s intent. “We could have tripped and collided with those doors.”
Just earlier, Li Zhi had warned the other players about the danger of the rooms with couplets on the doors, telling them not to knock.
Then, Qiao Junyuan led her to the second floor, using an item to make her stumble near those very doors. If she had fallen into one, it would have counted as knocking.
But instead, she had stopped, and then a brick fell from the ceiling. They avoided it, but then she fell down the stairs. Clearly, this item was meant to force her into a dangerous situation.
“It’s probably a misfortune-type item,” Li Zhi speculated. “Or something that guarantees you’ll suffer injury. Once it drew blood, the item’s effects were lifted.”
However, if she had followed through and collided with those doors, it wouldn’t have been as simple as just drawing blood.
Qiao Junyuan wanted her dead.
So he’s a cult member? My question will always be, what’s the point of cults? If you want to die you don’t have to drag others down too.