Bai Lixin, who was already seated on the sofa, couldn’t calm down for a long time.
It seems like there’s a deviation in his self-perception…
[Ahem, I have a question to ask.] Bai Lixin awkwardly brought up the topic in his mind, [Was the song I sang when I turned into a merfolk in the underground laboratory the same as this?]
S419M: [No.]
Bai Lixin breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course he’s the Song God, how could he sing like that?
S419M: [Be confident, Lord Host. Your singing is much more impactful than this mermaid’s. It can be described as “kill him without leaving a single piece of armor behind.”]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘Do I have no dignity left?’
S419M: [But the reason for this is that you are not familiar with the merfolk’s body structure. At that time, you were thinking about how to transmit the sound to every merfolk’s ear. As a merfolk, you subconsciously chose the highest frequency wavelength and pitch, resulting in this. Although it caused a significant impact on the merfolk, it can be considered a blessing in disguise. Due to your wrong operation, they learned sonic attacks, which is a good thing for them.]
Bai Lixin: [I must say, you comforted me quite well.]
The young man lazily embedded himself into the sofa. He closed his eyes slightly, and a captivating song gently floated from his mouth.
The singing voice was long and melodious, not inferior to the natural singing of the merfolk, even surpassing it.
Some lyrics were already forgotten; he only remembered the melody.
With no audience, and no need for a performance, the young man casually hummed a song.
The escape system exploded in his mind, [Ahhhh, Master Bai Lixin, your singing is so good! Why does it sound so good with just acapella? I love it.]
S419M: [Because my Lord Host once conquered the world with his singing. This is the true power of the Song God. Unfortunately, some people may never hear the true singing of my Lord Host in their lifetime.]
Escape system: [It seems that poor singing is the most outrageous misunderstanding players have about God Xin.]
Bai Lixin interrupted the banter between the two systems. By now, he had opened his eyes, and his index finger traced the words “Shentian” invisibly on the table.[I have a question for both of you. Do you have any impression of someone named “Lin Xiao”?]
S419M: [No, Lord Host.]
Escape system: [I don’t remember, but I can check if there are any players with the same name.]
Bai Lixin’s finger paused slightly, [Alright, please check for me.]
After awhile, the escape system, who had completed the search, returned: [I have finished checking, Master Bai Lixin. Currently, there are three players named “Lin Xiao” in the game lobby.]
[Among them, two are female players, and one is a male player.]
Bai Lixin: [Do you have a photo of the male player? What floor is he on now?]
Escape system: [There is a photo, I’ll send it to you now.]
As soon as it spoke, a photo appeared in Bai Lixin’s mind.
It was a young man, looking only around twenty-two or twenty-three years, with well-defined features. However, there was no resemblance to the Lin Xiao he encountered in the copy.
Escape system: [This player entered the game lobby three months ago and is currently on the 65th floor. Judging by the speed of clearing levels, it can only be considered average. Is he the one you’re looking for?]
Bai Lixin’s thick eyelashes drooped slightly, concealing the flash in the eyes beneath them, [No, I’m not looking for him. Among the list of players from when you started the game until now, is there anyone named Lin Xiao?]
Escape system: [This is challenging to search for. The main brain doesn’t keep too many junk files. Generally, information considered obsolete or left by players who quit is treated as garbage and likely thrown into the recycling bin. If you really need it, I can secretly infiltrate the recycling bin and help you find information on “Lin Xiao.” Do you want that?]
Bai Lixin contemplated for two seconds, [Will there be any danger for you?]
Escape system: [There shouldn’t be any. The recycling bin is the least focused area, and the main brain won’t pay attention to it.]
Bai Lixin: [Then I’ll trouble you, Sister System.]
Escape system: [There’s no need to be polite. I’m honored to be able to help you. However, because there is a huge amount of information in the recycling bin, it may take some time to find it, ranging from a few seconds to several days. I hope you can be patient.]
Bai Lixin: [It’s okay. I can wait as long as necessary. Pay attention to safety first, evacuate promptly if anything seems off.]
Escape System: [Alright, then I’ll be back, Master Bai Lixin, Brother M.]
[Ding! The following is the system hosting time ~ I am the assistant for the Escape System hosting service.]
[Due to your main system being temporarily unavailable, I will be responsible for daily activities and information release in the coming days.]
[Players can inquire directly if necessary.]
Bai Lixin: “…”
He went to take a hot shower in the bathroom to wash away the fatigue.
After changing into clean clothes, Bai Lixin opened the dormitory door, and pressed the elevator button for the 450th floor.
The 450th floor was a dining and commercial street. The sky had turned dark, and the street simulated the nighttime atmosphere with a pitch-black sky adorned by a realistic full moon and stars.
Dim yellow streetlights lined the road, and there were players coming and going around.
After strolling on the street for a while, Bai Lixin noticed a bar with a sign featuring a red rose.
He pushed the door open, and a rich aroma mixed with the scent of tobacco immediately reached Bai Lixin’s nose.
Rather than immediately finding a seat, Bai Lixin looked around and focused on the bartender behind the counter.
The bartender was wearing a typical NPC white mask. The mask was in the shape of a docile and harmless rabbit this time.
This bartender was a male, dressed in a white shirt with a black vest on top.
Because he was mixing drinks, his sturdy shoulders and arms created attractive lines on the shirt and vest.
Bai Lixin’s gaze lingered on the bartender, and he immediately turned on his feet and walked straight towards the bartender.
He sat down in front of the bartender, locking eyes on him. “A Red Firework, please.”
The bartender, who had just finished making a drink for another customer, paused upon hearing Bai Lixin’s voice. Then, he said in a mechanical and emotionless tone, “Apologies, customer. We don’t have Red Firework here. You can choose your drink from the menu above your head.”
“But I see you don’t seem like a regular drinker. Perhaps I can prepare a cup of hot milk for you.”
“Hot milk?” The lights in the bar were dim, and the dark ink shadows were blurry. Bai Lixin supported his chin lazily, and mumbled, “At least give me a cocktail or a beer. This is a bar, after all.”
The cute and harmless rabbit mask showed no expression. The bartender remained motionless, leaving people guessing what he was thinking.
After a few seconds, the cute rabbit mask spoke in a serious voice, “Please have a seat on the nearby sofa, customer. I’ll prepare what you asked for and bring it over.”
Only then did Bai Lixin stand up from the round chair with satisfaction. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
One end of the bar was the counter, and the other end is a place of feasting and indulgence.
Bai Lixin found an unoccupied two-person sofa in the noisy DJ area and sat down, patiently waiting for his drink.
During the wait, his attention was drawn to the DJ area and dance floor in the distance.
In the dark room, colorful lights showered down from overhead.
On the stage was a band performing passionately, a four-member band with a lead singer, a drummer, a bassist, and a DJ dedicated to adjusting accompaniments.
None of them wore masks, and Bai Lixin couldn’t tell whether these musicians were players or resident NPCs.
In their energetic and upbeat music, people on the dance floor swayed their bodies, expressing joy and abandon, as if releasing all the pent-up tension.
Around the dim dance floor, groups of people sat on sofas in twos or threes.
There were both men and women.
Some individuals indulgently embraced their companions, paying no attention to the curious gazes around them.
Of course, there were no strange looks because many people were doing the same.
The ones being embraced were both men and women, their expressions not necessarily enjoying the situation but not rejecting it either.
It’s as they were programmed robots diligently completing their tasks.
While Bai Lixin was still looking around, he heard the crisp sound of a glass landing on the table, followed by the sensation of the sofa sinking.
Shifting his gaze from the people in the distance, Bai Lixin looked forward. On the previously empty table, there was now a glass of deep blue wine.
Seated beside him was a man.
The man had a slight smell of alcohol, and he looked at Bai Lixin obsessively, “Are you alone?”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘What an old and cliché pickup line.’
“No, I’m waiting for someone.” Bai Lixin moved slightly to the side, creating distance between him and the man.
“Hehe, don’t lie, brother. I saw you the moment you entered. You clearly came in alone, walked to the counter for a while, then sat here all by yourself.” The man’s cheeks were slightly red. He nudged the blue cocktail in front of him. “This drink is called ‘Heart of the Ocean.’ Its deep, beautiful blue complements you well. Poor child, you must be exhausted mentally and physically from this terrifying game, right? I saw you kept looking over there. Are you also envious that they have someone accompanying them?”
“Hmph,” the man suddenly showed a disdainful expression. “There’s nothing to envy. They are just robots with programmed settings. As long as you make a certain move, you can predict the next response of the machine. Where’s the fun in that? Emotions are mutual, and the reason emotions are so enticing and anticipated is because of the unpredictable responses.”
“They’re so low that they would hug a robot.”
After hearing the man’s words, Bai Lixin calmly glanced at the people on the sofa. “Are you saying the ones they’re hugging are robots? Are they provided by this bar?”
Man: “Tsk tsk, it seems you really don’t come here often. You don’t even know about this kind of thing. No wonder you felt unfamiliar to me the moment you walked in. I knew it, a handsome boy like you, if you’d been here before, I wouldn’t forget.”
“Some of these robots are provided by the bar as public companions, but most of them are brought in by players themselves. Although most of the ones players bring are robots, there are also players and players…some players hit it off and have a romantic and passionate night.”
Bai Lixin: “One-night stand?”
“Bang!” A clear sound of a glass landing on the table suddenly interrupted their conversation.
Bai Lixin looked up and saw the cute and harmless rabbit mask holding a prepared drink.
Although Rabbit Mask seemed harmless, his figure was surprisingly tall.
It was a red drink, as red as a rose, with fine droplets on the glass’s surface. Vaguely, you could see rose-shaped patterns swimming inside the glass. “Customer, here’s your drink.”
Seeing that it was an NPC, the man waved his hand impatiently. “What a buzzkill, just put down the drink and leave. Can’t you see we’re busy? So annoying.”
Rabbit Mask didn’t leave, not even an inch.
His hollow eyes stared directly at the man. For some reason, even though the rabbit mask NPC hadn’t said anything, the man suddenly felt an indescribable chill.
It was as if he was being spied on by a terrifying ghost, and if he stayed here for another second, the ghost would pierce his chest and take out his heart.
The man instantly felt a shiver down his spine and he shuddered. He immediately stood up, wanting to leave this place.
“Customer,” Rabbit Mask called out in a low voice, stopping the man who was about to escape, “please don’t casually litter. You forgot your drink.”
The man’s teeth were chattering, and he didn’t dare say anything. He quickly picked up the blue cocktail, and left in a dejected manner with his tail between his legs.
Watching the man’s departing figure, Bai Lixin tilted his head and lazily looked at the tall rabbit-faced mask in front of him.
Colorful lights danced on Bai Lixin’s body and also reflected in his eyes.
In a daze, his eyes seemed filled with vast starlight.
Rabbit Mask silently stared at the charming and seductive young man in front of him. Then saw the young man slowly opening his mouth, “What should I do? You scared away my chat buddy, you should compensate me.”
He patted the sofa next to him, “As compensation, you can chat with me in his place.”
The expressionless Rabbit Mask stood there quietly. After a few seconds, he raised his feet and walked over with straight steps, sitting firmly next to Bai Lixin, “Okay, guest, as you wish.”
A magnetic voice, so different from other NPCs, emerged from the rabbit mask: “So, dear customer, let’s continue the topic you didn’t finish earlier, shall we?”
“Let’s start with… what you mentioned earlier about one-night stands. Is that okay?”
Bai Lixin, who was already seated on the sofa, couldn’t calm down for a long time.
It seems like there’s a deviation in his self-perception…
[Ahem, I have a question to ask.] Bai Lixin awkwardly brought up the topic in his mind, [Was the song I sang when I turned into a merfolk in the underground laboratory the same as this?]
S419M: [No.]
Bai Lixin breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course he’s the Song God, how could he sing like that?
S419M: [Be confident, Lord Host. Your singing is much more impactful than this mermaid’s. It can be described as “kill him without leaving a single piece of armor behind.”]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘Do I have no dignity left?’
S419M: [But the reason for this is that you are not familiar with the merfolk’s body structure. At that time, you were thinking about how to transmit the sound to every merfolk’s ear. As a merfolk, you subconsciously chose the highest frequency wavelength and pitch, resulting in this. Although it caused a significant impact on the merfolk, it can be considered a blessing in disguise. Due to your wrong operation, they learned sonic attacks, which is a good thing for them.]
Bai Lixin: [I must say, you comforted me quite well.]
The young man lazily embedded himself into the sofa. He closed his eyes slightly, and a captivating song gently floated from his mouth.
The singing voice was long and melodious, not inferior to the natural singing of the merfolk, even surpassing it.
Some lyrics were already forgotten; he only remembered the melody.
With no audience, and no need for a performance, the young man casually hummed a song.
The escape system exploded in his mind, [Ahhhh, Master Bai Lixin, your singing is so good! Why does it sound so good with just acapella? I love it.]
S419M: [Because my Lord Host once conquered the world with his singing. This is the true power of the Song God. Unfortunately, some people may never hear the true singing of my Lord Host in their lifetime.]
Escape system: [It seems that poor singing is the most outrageous misunderstanding players have about God Xin.]
Bai Lixin interrupted the banter between the two systems. By now, he had opened his eyes, and his index finger traced the words “Shentian” invisibly on the table.[I have a question for both of you. Do you have any impression of someone named “Lin Xiao”?]
S419M: [No, Lord Host.]
Escape system: [I don’t remember, but I can check if there are any players with the same name.]
Bai Lixin’s finger paused slightly, [Alright, please check for me.]
After awhile, the escape system, who had completed the search, returned: [I have finished checking, Master Bai Lixin. Currently, there are three players named “Lin Xiao” in the game lobby.]
[Among them, two are female players, and one is a male player.]
Bai Lixin: [Do you have a photo of the male player? What floor is he on now?]
Escape system: [There is a photo, I’ll send it to you now.]
As soon as it spoke, a photo appeared in Bai Lixin’s mind.
It was a young man, looking only around twenty-two or twenty-three years, with well-defined features. However, there was no resemblance to the Lin Xiao he encountered in the copy.
Escape system: [This player entered the game lobby three months ago and is currently on the 65th floor. Judging by the speed of clearing levels, it can only be considered average. Is he the one you’re looking for?]
Bai Lixin’s thick eyelashes drooped slightly, concealing the flash in the eyes beneath them, [No, I’m not looking for him. Among the list of players from when you started the game until now, is there anyone named Lin Xiao?]
Escape system: [This is challenging to search for. The main brain doesn’t keep too many junk files. Generally, information considered obsolete or left by players who quit is treated as garbage and likely thrown into the recycling bin. If you really need it, I can secretly infiltrate the recycling bin and help you find information on “Lin Xiao.” Do you want that?]
Bai Lixin contemplated for two seconds, [Will there be any danger for you?]
Escape system: [There shouldn’t be any. The recycling bin is the least focused area, and the main brain won’t pay attention to it.]
Bai Lixin: [Then I’ll trouble you, Sister System.]
Escape system: [There’s no need to be polite. I’m honored to be able to help you. However, because there is a huge amount of information in the recycling bin, it may take some time to find it, ranging from a few seconds to several days. I hope you can be patient.]
Bai Lixin: [It’s okay. I can wait as long as necessary. Pay attention to safety first, evacuate promptly if anything seems off.]
Escape System: [Alright, then I’ll be back, Master Bai Lixin, Brother M.]
[Ding! The following is the system hosting time ~ I am the assistant for the Escape System hosting service.]
[Due to your main system being temporarily unavailable, I will be responsible for daily activities and information release in the coming days.]
[Players can inquire directly if necessary.]
Bai Lixin: “…”
He went to take a hot shower in the bathroom to wash away the fatigue.
After changing into clean clothes, Bai Lixin opened the dormitory door, and pressed the elevator button for the 450th floor.
The 450th floor was a dining and commercial street. The sky had turned dark, and the street simulated the nighttime atmosphere with a pitch-black sky adorned by a realistic full moon and stars.
Dim yellow streetlights lined the road, and there were players coming and going around.
After strolling on the street for a while, Bai Lixin noticed a bar with a sign featuring a red rose.
He pushed the door open, and a rich aroma mixed with the scent of tobacco immediately reached Bai Lixin’s nose.
Rather than immediately finding a seat, Bai Lixin looked around and focused on the bartender behind the counter.
The bartender was wearing a typical NPC white mask. The mask was in the shape of a docile and harmless rabbit this time.
This bartender was a male, dressed in a white shirt with a black vest on top.
Because he was mixing drinks, his sturdy shoulders and arms created attractive lines on the shirt and vest.
Bai Lixin’s gaze lingered on the bartender, and he immediately turned on his feet and walked straight towards the bartender.
He sat down in front of the bartender, locking eyes on him. “A Red Firework, please.”
The bartender, who had just finished making a drink for another customer, paused upon hearing Bai Lixin’s voice. Then, he said in a mechanical and emotionless tone, “Apologies, customer. We don’t have Red Firework here. You can choose your drink from the menu above your head.”
“But I see you don’t seem like a regular drinker. Perhaps I can prepare a cup of hot milk for you.”
“Hot milk?” The lights in the bar were dim, and the dark ink shadows were blurry. Bai Lixin supported his chin lazily, and mumbled, “At least give me a cocktail or a beer. This is a bar, after all.”
The cute and harmless rabbit mask showed no expression. The bartender remained motionless, leaving people guessing what he was thinking.
After a few seconds, the cute rabbit mask spoke in a serious voice, “Please have a seat on the nearby sofa, customer. I’ll prepare what you asked for and bring it over.”
Only then did Bai Lixin stand up from the round chair with satisfaction. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
One end of the bar was the counter, and the other end is a place of feasting and indulgence.
Bai Lixin found an unoccupied two-person sofa in the noisy DJ area and sat down, patiently waiting for his drink.
During the wait, his attention was drawn to the DJ area and dance floor in the distance.
In the dark room, colorful lights showered down from overhead.
On the stage was a band performing passionately, a four-member band with a lead singer, a drummer, a bassist, and a DJ dedicated to adjusting accompaniments.
None of them wore masks, and Bai Lixin couldn’t tell whether these musicians were players or resident NPCs.
In their energetic and upbeat music, people on the dance floor swayed their bodies, expressing joy and abandon, as if releasing all the pent-up tension.
Around the dim dance floor, groups of people sat on sofas in twos or threes.
There were both men and women.
Some individuals indulgently embraced their companions, paying no attention to the curious gazes around them.
Of course, there were no strange looks because many people were doing the same.
The ones being embraced were both men and women, their expressions not necessarily enjoying the situation but not rejecting it either.
It’s as they were programmed robots diligently completing their tasks.
While Bai Lixin was still looking around, he heard the crisp sound of a glass landing on the table, followed by the sensation of the sofa sinking.
Shifting his gaze from the people in the distance, Bai Lixin looked forward. On the previously empty table, there was now a glass of deep blue wine.
Seated beside him was a man.
The man had a slight smell of alcohol, and he looked at Bai Lixin obsessively, “Are you alone?”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘What an old and cliché pickup line.’
“No, I’m waiting for someone.” Bai Lixin moved slightly to the side, creating distance between him and the man.
“Hehe, don’t lie, brother. I saw you the moment you entered. You clearly came in alone, walked to the counter for a while, then sat here all by yourself.” The man’s cheeks were slightly red. He nudged the blue cocktail in front of him. “This drink is called ‘Heart of the Ocean.’ Its deep, beautiful blue complements you well. Poor child, you must be exhausted mentally and physically from this terrifying game, right? I saw you kept looking over there. Are you also envious that they have someone accompanying them?”
“Hmph,” the man suddenly showed a disdainful expression. “There’s nothing to envy. They are just robots with programmed settings. As long as you make a certain move, you can predict the next response of the machine. Where’s the fun in that? Emotions are mutual, and the reason emotions are so enticing and anticipated is because of the unpredictable responses.”
“They’re so low that they would hug a robot.”
After hearing the man’s words, Bai Lixin calmly glanced at the people on the sofa. “Are you saying the ones they’re hugging are robots? Are they provided by this bar?”
Man: “Tsk tsk, it seems you really don’t come here often. You don’t even know about this kind of thing. No wonder you felt unfamiliar to me the moment you walked in. I knew it, a handsome boy like you, if you’d been here before, I wouldn’t forget.”
“Some of these robots are provided by the bar as public companions, but most of them are brought in by players themselves. Although most of the ones players bring are robots, there are also players and players…some players hit it off and have a romantic and passionate night.”
Bai Lixin: “One-night stand?”
“Bang!” A clear sound of a glass landing on the table suddenly interrupted their conversation.
Bai Lixin looked up and saw the cute and harmless rabbit mask holding a prepared drink.
Although Rabbit Mask seemed harmless, his figure was surprisingly tall.
It was a red drink, as red as a rose, with fine droplets on the glass’s surface. Vaguely, you could see rose-shaped patterns swimming inside the glass. “Customer, here’s your drink.”
Seeing that it was an NPC, the man waved his hand impatiently. “What a buzzkill, just put down the drink and leave. Can’t you see we’re busy? So annoying.”
Rabbit Mask didn’t leave, not even an inch.
His hollow eyes stared directly at the man. For some reason, even though the rabbit mask NPC hadn’t said anything, the man suddenly felt an indescribable chill.
It was as if he was being spied on by a terrifying ghost, and if he stayed here for another second, the ghost would pierce his chest and take out his heart.
The man instantly felt a shiver down his spine and he shuddered. He immediately stood up, wanting to leave this place.
“Customer,” Rabbit Mask called out in a low voice, stopping the man who was about to escape, “please don’t casually litter. You forgot your drink.”
The man’s teeth were chattering, and he didn’t dare say anything. He quickly picked up the blue cocktail, and left in a dejected manner with his tail between his legs.
Watching the man’s departing figure, Bai Lixin tilted his head and lazily looked at the tall rabbit-faced mask in front of him.
Colorful lights danced on Bai Lixin’s body and also reflected in his eyes.
In a daze, his eyes seemed filled with vast starlight.
Rabbit Mask silently stared at the charming and seductive young man in front of him. Then saw the young man slowly opening his mouth, “What should I do? You scared away my chat buddy, you should compensate me.”
He patted the sofa next to him, “As compensation, you can chat with me in his place.”
The expressionless Rabbit Mask stood there quietly. After a few seconds, he raised his feet and walked over with straight steps, sitting firmly next to Bai Lixin, “Okay, guest, as you wish.”
A magnetic voice, so different from other NPCs, emerged from the rabbit mask: “So, dear customer, let’s continue the topic you didn’t finish earlier, shall we?”
“Let’s start with… what you mentioned earlier about one-night stands. Is that okay?”
