He re-entered the gaming pod.
【Jian Lai】 lay inside, his heartbeat yet to settle.
Staring at the soft, frosted light on the inside of the pod cover, only one thought cycled through his mind.
“The 《Record of Summoning and Binding Demons and Ghosts》 actually works in the real world!!!”
【Jian Lai】 raised his hand and looked at his fingers. His skin was somewhat pale, but his hand was steady, without a tremor.
He had recited that incantation in the real world and visualized the 【Sky Ghost Diagram】 in his mind—and then, he had heard the whispers of the 【Sky Ghosts】.
“Was it a hallucination?”
“No, it definitely wasn’t!”
He could clearly feel that a connection had been established between him and the 【Sky Ghosts】.
【Jian Lai】 closed his eyes, thinking of the NPCs he had met in the game. Those people who could cry, laugh, feel pain, and experience fear—everyone had a family, a job, and their own life path.
Were they really just strings of code?
Could a game company truly build a world so vast, real, and detailed?
What kind of server would be required to run that?
What kind of base architecture could support countless players online simultaneously, generating millions of unpredictable interactions every day?
What kind of server could host such a massive setting where every NPC possessed an independent consciousness!
【Jian Lai】 had some experience with programming. Although his knowledge wasn’t deep, he knew how difficult this would be.
It was essentially impossible.
But what if the 【Deep Red Continent】 wasn’t a game, but a real world?
When this thought popped into 【Jian Lai】’s head, he startled himself.
However, he didn’t suppress it. Instead, he let the idea grow wild in his heart.
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
Then, a new question arose.
“If the 【Deep Red Continent】 is real, then what are we players?”
Were they brought in by some entity or power to fulfill some hidden purpose?
【Jian Lai】 couldn’t guess the mastermind’s goal, nor did he particularly care. After all, he was just a small fry.
What he cared about now was something else: having inadvertently seen through the truth of the game, could he gain any advantages from it?
The answer was obvious—cultivation techniques could be brought back and used in the real world!
The moment he recited the incantation in reality, the response from the 【Sky Ghosts】 was real.
The implications of this were self-evident.
Cultivation was no longer just a pile of data in a game; it was a power that could truly change oneself!
Cultivation, immortality, flying through the sky, moving mountains and filling seas—these terms had always been confined to novels and movies in his mind, but now they were suddenly within reach.
If the 《Record of Summoning and Binding Demons and Ghosts》 could be used in reality, perhaps other techniques could be as well.
Maybe certain game items could even be brought out.
At this thought, 【Jian Lai】’s breathing gradually quickened, his heart thumping like a drum against his ribs.
He was already imagining himself successfully cultivating and attaining powers that only existed in legends.
Ignoring his exhaustion, he logged into the game once more.
The pod cover closed, and his consciousness drifted from his body, passing through an invisible barrier to re-enter the 【Deep Red Continent】.
...
Entering the game, 【Jian Lai】 observed his body. It was exactly as it had been before he logged off.
But he knew that something had changed.
The way he viewed this world was shifting.
Walking down the streets of 【Liming City】, he saw small advertisements for mechanical prosthetic replacements on the roadside.
There were parents taking their newly adult children to get cybernetic upgrades.
Two old ladies sat by the entrance of an apartment block, soaking in the sun. One was shelling beans while the other was knitting, chatting idly.
Previously, 【Jian Lai】 would have found these scenes utterly mundane, not worth a second glance.
They were just NPCs, following a daily cycle set by a program. What was there to see? They were just background props; players didn’t care about their feelings.
But now, 【Jian Lai】’s gaze lingered on these scenes for a long time.
His mindset had changed. Everyone was so vivid, with flesh and blood. He could no longer look at the pedestrians on the street through the lens of an NPC.
In the corridor of the 【Tulip Security Company】, players were still lined up, waiting to report the progress of their bad deeds to 【Ghost】.
Some looked smug, some were frowning, and others were exchanging tips with players nearby.
They didn’t know the truth of this world. These NPCs were living human beings, and the harm caused by the players’ misdeeds was real.
【Jian Lai】 walked past the other players, feeling a strong urge to tell them, to share this massive secret, but he didn’t know how to begin.
If he said the 【Deep Red Continent】 was a real world, would they believe him?
Even if they did, would they change their behavior?
【Jian Lai】 thought about it and decided they wouldn’t.
Because even he himself hadn’t planned to change anything after learning the truth.
【Jian Lai】 enjoyed the sense of superiority that came from being the only one awake while everyone else was drunk.
He began to re-evaluate the 【Tulip Security Company】.
This company he had joined a while ago—the boss was a terrorist who could trap people in mirrors at any moment, the second-in-command was a ghost, and his colleagues were a bunch of players who treated evil deeds as performance metrics.
He used to think this was normal—just an evil organization in a game, a matter of faction settings.
But now that he realized the 【Deep Red Continent】 might be real, this company wasn’t just some fictional evil group; it was a criminal organization through and through!
The boss wasn’t an NPC either, but a living powerhouse. Even the 【Special Operations Team】 captain from the 【Investigation Bureau】 didn’t even have a chance to strike before him.
And that 《Record of Summoning and Binding Demons and Ghosts》 wasn’t some game spell scroll; it was a genuine manual of evil arts!
【Jian Lai】 hadn’t just cultivated an evil art; he had even used it in the real world.
The 【Sky Ghost Diagram】 on the scroll made him feel as if something was drawing near every time he visualized it. He couldn’t quite describe the sensation, but it was absolutely thrilling.
【Jian Lai】 slowed his pace. He wondered if he should defect to the side of justice, leave this company, and join the 【Investigation Bureau】.
The 【Investigation Bureau】 represented official, orthodox power—at least they seemed to be the side of justice.
But then he remembered the posts on the forum from players working at the 【Investigation Bureau】.
They were temporary staff, their missions were dangerous, their pay was mediocre, and becoming permanent was a distant dream.
If he went to the 【Investigation Bureau】, he didn't know if he would be able to learn spells.
Even if he could, there was no telling how long he would have to wait.
Staying at the 【Tulip Security Company】, he could at least gain more in the short term.
He already had a technique. Theoretically, the company could provide subsequent cultivation resources, higher-tier spells, and better gear.
The prerequisite was that he had to risk his life for the boss.
The company boss definitely wouldn’t recruit players for no reason; he must have some sort of plot!
【Jian Lai】 knew he was walking a dark path, but he didn’t want to stop.
Because on this path, there were things he wanted—techniques, power, and opportunities that he could never obtain in the real world.
“A technique itself is neither good nor evil; whether it is good or evil depends on the one using it,” 【Jian Lai】 told himself, finding a justification.
He felt he could surely maintain his original heart and wouldn't become a bad person just because he cultivated an evil art.
He didn't know how long this conviction would last, but for now, he could deceive himself into feeling at peace. It wouldn't be too late to jump ship when there were no more benefits to be had.
【Jian Lai】 mentally prepared his escape route.
In the company corridor, the potted ivy in the corner still looked half-dead.
【Ghost】 suddenly floated up from behind, his eyes fixed on the flat back of 【Jian Lai】’s head.
【Jian Lai】 didn’t notice until 【Ghost】 spoke: “Xiao Jian, the boss is looking for you.”
【Jian Lai】 stiffened. He turned to see 【Ghost】’s face pressed right behind his shoulder, deathly pale.
Startled, 【Jian Lai】 took a half-step back and asked with a trembling voice, “What does the boss want with me?”
“How should I know? You’ll find out when you get there.” 【Ghost】’s tone was somewhat impatient. Having said his piece, he floated away.
【Jian Lai】 stood there, his heart beating a few beats faster than before.
He slapped his own face, took a deep breath to adjust his emotions, and walked toward the boss’s office.
The office had a new dark brown solid wood door with a shiny handle.
Knock, knock, knock.
【Jian Lai】 knocked politely.
“Come in.”
【Jian Lai】 pushed the door open, walked in, and stood before the desk.
【Yue Shi】 was leaning back in his chair. The 【Snow Leopard】 was in his arms, awake today, its leopard eyes fixed on 【Jian Lai】.
【Yue Shi】 was also staring at 【Jian Lai】, sizing him up.
【Jian Lai】 felt as if he were being scanned from head to toe by an X-ray machine, every pore seen through.
He was so nervous he didn’t know where to put his hands, eventually letting them hang by the seams of his trousers. A thin layer of sweat broke out on his back.
After a moment, 【Yue Shi】 got straight to the point: “Do you already know the truth?”
【Jian Lai】 was stunned.
The truth? What truth?
In that instant, his mind raced through several possibilities, which flashed before his eyes like bullet screen comments.
Glimpsing the curve of the boss’s mouth, 【Jian Lai】 had an epiphany. His expression shifted from confusion to realization, then from realization to shock.
His lips puckered slightly and his pupils dilated. He understood—【Yue Shi】 was likely talking about the fact that the 【Deep Red Continent】 was a real world.
But how did the boss know?
Did the boss have the ability to know what players did after they logged off?
Had he been under surveillance this entire time?
The thought was terrifying!
【Jian Lai】 instinctively wanted to deny it, but the words died in his throat.
Denial was pointless.
【Yue Shi】 saw through 【Jian Lai】’s thoughts instantly and smiled. “Since you already know that the 【Deep Red Continent】 is a real world, then tell me—how do you think we natives would react to the sudden arrival of players? Would the natives investigate you thoroughly and monitor you closely?”
【Jian Lai】 was speechless. He obviously knew the answer.
Putting himself in their shoes, if a group of otherworldly visitors calling themselves players suddenly appeared in his world—people who could resurrect after dying, who talked nonsense and gave random, nonsensical responses, who fought, brawled, robbed, and caused destruction in the streets at the drop of a hat, and even took their pants off in public...
His first reaction would absolutely be to call the police, then contact the authorities to have all these people detained. He’d want to study their physical structure, the principle behind their resurrection, and exactly which back alley they had crawled out of.
He certainly wouldn't let players roam free in the city, disrupting the daily lives of normal residents.
The 【Investigation Bureau】’s approach was already quite mild; at least they were willing to give players temporary jobs instead of locking them in a lab.
He remembered the way Mayor 【Long Jianguo】 looked at players—with undisguised loathing and vigilance.
The company boss had known about the players' identities from the very beginning—that they were players from another world.
The more 【Jian Lai】 thought about it, the more horrified he became. His back was drenched, cold sweat trickling down his spine and making his shirt stick to his skin.
“Boss, what exactly did you call me here for?”
【Jian Lai】 didn’t want to continue the previous topic. It made him feel like a goldfish in a glass bowl, thinking he was swimming freely when he was actually being observed every second.
He wanted to know what 【Yue Shi】 intended to do. Now that he knew the 【Deep Red Continent】 was real, how would the boss handle it?
【Yue Shi】 said calmly, “I want you to temporarily take over as the boss of this company, as my acting boss.”
“Huh???”
【Jian Lai】 was dumbfounded. He blurted out instinctively, “Me, the boss? How can I be the acting boss? You just killed someone from the 【Investigation Bureau】 and now you want me to take your place? What kind of setup is this?”
...
The 【Bureau headquarters】.
【Lin Mou】 ended his sick leave, looking radiant.
He had been doing quite well lately, having secretly used living people to refine medicine several more times.
After several tests, he had directly experienced the effects of the 【medicine】.
This extraordinary medicine refined from living people was surprisingly effective. It could be used to improve basic physical attributes, enhance spellcasting, or serve as a healing potion.
The test subjects who had consumed the 【medicine】 showed no obvious side effects.
The only drawback was a slight symptom of addiction, which 【Lin Mou】 felt was an acceptable side effect.
Compared to the miraculous effects of the 【medicine】, being addictive was nothing!
【Lin Mou】 had also started taking the 【medicine】, and his strength had increased significantly during this period.
Feeling his power grow, his demand for the medicine became greater and greater.
Furthermore, he was no longer satisfied with using ordinary people or those in the shadows for refinement. He needed higher-quality materials!
【Lin Mou】 turned his gaze toward the investigators of the 【Investigation Bureau】.
These colleagues of his were all strong, healthy, and had undergone cultivation. Their physical quality was excellent; the medicine refined from them would surely be of superior quality.
Besides, some of them were 【Lin Mou】’s rivals. He might as well take the opportunity to get rid of them!
【Lin Mou】 began setting traps in secret to harm his colleagues. At first, he only dared to target peripheral figures, finding ways to make them “sacrifice” themselves logically during missions.
It seemed no one noticed his actions. 【Lin Mou】 grew bolder, reaching out his dark hand toward some high-level investigators.
As he did these things, he was completely unaware that a pair of eyes was watching him the entire time.
【Qin Sansi】 had discovered 【Lin Mou】’s actions by chance. Although both served the 【Bureau headquarters】, they essentially had no intersection.
【Lin Mou】 carried a familiar smell of a bad seed that 【Qin Sansi】 recognized.
“Hehe, truly like a ghost that won’t stay away~”
【Qin Sansi】 didn’t report 【Lin Mou】. Instead, he used his own abilities to cover for him, helping to erase many of his traces.
After all, 【Qin Sansi】 wasn’t truly loyal to the 【Investigation Bureau】. He couldn't wait for such a cancer to cause chaos within the organization.
Now, he could finally somewhat understand 【Yue Shi】’s mindset. The 【Deep Red Continent】 wasn’t his home, so what did he care if the world fell into chaos?
Everyone should just be a damn fun-seeker!
“It’s about time to start the first team-building activity for the 【Double-Sided Tape】 organization.”
Rate on N.U.
